The 2006 FIFA World Cup

[The Baron]

Ledley is better at tackling but his delivery is awful.

Carrick has been outstanding recently.

[TightEnd]

I've seen Walcott play twice for Southampton


extremely quick and brave but v lightweight at the moment....


lets hope it is an inspired selection, even more lets hope things go so well he doesn't need to play!

[matt674]

I think Walcott is superb,

And on what are you basing this comment? A couple of first team games for Southampton against the likes of Crewe and Millwall or his very brief appearances in the Arsenal 3rd reserve youth team?

Hardly much comparison between them and the likes of Holland, Argentina and Brazil.........

[booder]

why 3 goalkeepers in the squad...2 should be plenty allowing another striker...if the worst comes to the worst and they both get injured then we play rush goalies...sorted

[matt674]

................jumpers for goalposts

[The Baron]

I think Walcott is superb,

And on what are you basing this comment? A couple of first team games for Southampton against the likes of Crewe and Millwall or his very brief appearances in the Arsenal 3rd reserve youth team?

Hardly much comparison between them and the likes of Holland, Argentina and Brazil.........

Pele played for Brazil at 16. Who was he proven against? Sometimes they are good enough to be given the chance.

Rooney hadn't done all that much before Sven gave him a shot vs Trukey.

[smithy69]

but in that role he isnt gonna be bombing forward, and im not bothered whether he can hit a 50 yard ball to feet. The job of that player is to disrupt play, and break down everything the opposition throws at you. You need a tough, good tackling player and as you said ledley is a better tackler.

No way should carrick be ahead of king

Matt -

I have been down to Arsenals training ground in the last 3 weeks with my partners uncle who is a professional coach as he has been doing some mental coaching with them (he has done alot of stuff with PAul Mckenna). I watched walcott outsprint Henry on the training pitch, and he generally looked in the top 3 players on the training pitch. He is a serious talent but I still think that maybe he needs a bit of time. This was a training pitch and not a world cup semi!!!!!!!!!!!

[ACE2M]

I think Walcott is superb,

And on what are you basing this comment? A couple of first team games for Southampton against the likes of Crewe and Millwall or his very brief appearances in the Arsenal 3rd reserve youth team?

Hardly much comparison between them and the likes of Holland, Argentina and Brazil.........

Pele played for Brazil at 16. Who was he proven against? Sometimes they are good enough to be given the chance.

Rooney hadn't done all that much before Sven gave him a shot vs Trukey.

And don't forget the gamble hoddle took on Michael Owen as a Kid and he set the tournament a light. We seem to have a history of taking a Kid who does great things.

Have never seen Walcott play, i hope he works out but ashton, bent, defoe et al must be sick

[matt674]

Pele played for Brazil at 16. Who was he proven against? Sometimes they are good enough to be given the chance.

Rooney hadn't done all that much before Sven gave him a shot vs Trukey.

He at least had first team experience at the top flight of his country which led to him being included in the squad. What signals is it sending out when the top english scorer in the premiership cant get in the team but someone who hasnt even kicked a ball in top flight football is.

To me Sven is already planning a nice summer vacation with his golden handshake payout before his next assignment......

[booder]

Rooney hadn't done all that much before Sven gave him a shot vs Trukey.

trukey were a very poor team in all honesty though

[Sheriff Fatman]

why 3 goalkeepers in the squad...2 should be plenty allowing another striker...if the worst comes to the worst and they both get injured then we play rush goalies...sorted

This is a requirement for the 23 man squads.  World Cup squads always used to have 22 players.  The 23rd has to be a 3rd goalie.

Sheriff

[Rod Paradise]

Brasil's squad are told the England squad....

http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/55855980.jpg?v=1&c=MS_GINS&k=2&d=83C02361B64D91850F05E3ABB823D681


As a Scot I'm kind of bemused by the squad. Taking a hell of a gamble on Rooney....

[bobby1]

Zooiks!!!

9 midfileders that include Hargreaves and 4 strikers of which two are injured and one future star that has no top level experience. The young players are good players and I think there is a danger of overreacting as these young lads will probably only be bit part players at best.

[Sheriff Fatman]

I'm gutted by this squad.  We're going to take 2 unfit strikers with no proven goalscorer in reserve.  Rooney won't play in the Group stages at all, Owen carries a massive risk of being injured if he plays and he won't be match fit anyway.

Assume worst case scenario, Owen goes of injured in the first game.  Who scores the goals in our 4-6-0 formation?

Defoe is the best replacement we have for Rooney.  He's a natural goalscorer and I can't believe he's not made it, especially given the injuries.  At least he's on the standby list so our best hope now is that Owen breaks down again before the World Cup.  He's too much of a gamble in the squad given that Rooney is the first choice crocked player.

I don't like having Andy Johnson as the 2nd reserve striker, given that he's hardly set the Championship alight this year.

The worst selection is undoubtedly Hargreaves though.  Can't believe he's in there given the list of absentees.

I'm encouraged by Lennon being picked and Walcott would be a good gamble if we had a place in the squad to gamble with.  However, we're gambling on 3 players in this squad and all of them are strikers.

Sweden are definite value for our Group now.

Sheriff

[booder]

just announced on sky sports......gary lineker called up to the standby squad